Contamination prevention system for fiber optic cabling

Abstract

A plug may be coupled with a cable and include a fiber ferrule extending from the plug. A biasing mechanism may be arranged to bias a cover toward a covered configuration in which the fiber ferrule is situated within an internal volume defined by the cover and away from an uncovered configuration in which the fiber ferrule is situated at least partially outside of the internal volume defined by the cover. Bristles or other blockers may be positioned along or within a boundary of the internal volume of the cover, may be arranged to block particulate entry through the blockers into the internal volume of the cover in the covered configuration, and may be movable to permit passage of the fiber ferrule through the blockers in response to movement of the cover between the covered configuration and uncovered configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system comprising:
 an appliance comprising a computer server or a network hardware component, the appliance comprising a socket; 
 a plug comprising a body and a fiber ferrule incorporated into the body, the plug configured to be received in the socket into a seated configuration; 
 a latch mechanism comprising a first latch mechanism part attached to the socket and a second latch mechanism part attached to the plug, the first and second latch mechanism parts configured to engage one another to secure the plug in the socket in the seated configuration; 
 a release mechanism extending from the plug and operable to disengage the first and second latch mechanism parts from one another so as to facilitate removal of the plug from the seated configuration to an uninstalled configuration separate from the socket; 
 a cover slidably connected with the plug and defining an internal volume; 
 a spring operable upon removal of the plug from the socket to bias the cover toward a covered configuration in which the fiber ferrule is situated within the internal volume defined by the cover and away from an uncovered configuration in which the fiber ferrule is situated at least partially outside of the internal volume defined by the cover; and 
 bristles positioned along a boundary of the internal volume of the cover and arranged to block dust entry through the bristles into the internal volume of the cover in the covered configuration, wherein the bristles are flexibly and resiliently bendable to permit passage of the fiber ferrule through the bristles in response to movement of the cover between the covered configuration and the uncovered configuration. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plug and the spring are positioned at least partially within the internal volume defined by the cover in the covered configuration. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the release mechanism is positioned at least partially outside of the internal volume defined by the cover in the covered configuration. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the bristles comprise microfiber bristles, and wherein the plug is an LC connector or an MPO connector. 
     
     
       5. A system comprising:
 a cable; 
 a plug coupled with an end of the cable; 
 a fiber ferrule located in the plug; 
 a cover coupled with the cable and movable between a covered configuration in which the fiber ferrule is situated within an internal volume defined by the cover and an uncovered configuration in which the fiber ferrule is situated at least partially outside of the internal volume defined by the cover; 
 a biasing mechanism biasing the cover toward the covered configuration; and 
 blockers positioned along a boundary of or within the internal volume of the cover, the blockers arranged to block particulate entry through the blockers into the internal volume of the cover in the covered configuration, and the blockers bendable to permit passage of the fiber ferrule through the blockers in response to movement of the cover between the covered configuration and the uncovered configuration. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a base coupled with the cable at a fixed position, wherein the biasing mechanism is positioned between the base and a part of the cover and is compressible in response to movement of the cover away from the covered configuration and toward the uncovered configuration. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the base is positioned at least partially within the internal volume defined by the cover in the covered configuration. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the biasing mechanism is positioned at least partially within the internal volume defined by the cover in the covered configuration. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the plug is positioned at least partially within the internal volume defined by the cover in the covered configuration. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 5 , wherein a part of the cover is extendible out of the plug and retractable into the plug so as to be positioned at least partially within the plug in the uncovered configuration and at least partially outside of the plug in the covered configuration. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the fiber ferrule is a first fiber ferrule located in a first plug, wherein the system further comprises:
 a second plug coupled with the end of the cable; and 
 a second fiber ferrule located in the second plug, wherein the second fiber ferrule is situated with the internal volume defined by the cover in the covered configuration and situated at least partially outside of the internal volume defined by the cover in the uncovered configuration. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the plug further comprises:
 a latch mechanism part for securing the plug in a socket; and 
 a release mechanism operable to disengage the latch mechanism part for facilitating removal of the plug from the socket, wherein the release mechanism of the plug is positioned at least partially outside of the internal volume defined by the cover in the covered configuration. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the blockers comprise microfiber material. 
     
     
       14. A system comprising:
 a cover slidable relative to a plug, the plug having a fiber ferrule extending from the plug, the cover defining an internal volume sized to receive the fiber ferrule extending from the plug; 
 a base sized and configured for mounting to the plug or to a cable extending from the plug; 
 a biasing mechanism sized and configured to engage the base and the cover in an arrangement biasing the cover toward a covered configuration in which the fiber ferrule is situated within an internal volume defined by the cover and away from an uncovered configuration in which the fiber ferrule is situated at least partially outside of the internal volume defined by the cover; and 
 blockers positioned along or within a boundary of the internal volume of the cover, the blockers arranged to block particulate entry through the blockers into the internal volume of the cover in the covered configuration, and the blockers movable to permit passage of the fiber ferrule through the blockers in response to movement of the cover between the covered configuration and the uncovered configuration. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the blockers comprise bristles, flaps, tendrils, or fabric. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the cover is sized relative to the plug such that, in the covered configuration, a release mechanism operable to disengage a latch mechanism part for facilitating removal of the plug from a socket is positioned outside of the internal volume defined by the cover. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the cover is sized relative to the plug such that, in the covered configuration, the internal volume defined by the plug is positioned around a first fiber ferrule extending from a first plug body and around a second fiber ferrule extending from a second plug body. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the cover is sized relative to the plug such that in the covered configuration the internal volume defined by the plug is positioned around the plug. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the biasing mechanism is positioned at least partially outside the internal volume defined by the cover in the covered configuration. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the base is positioned at least partially outside of the internal volume defined by the cover in the covered configuration.